Ken Berenson: Showcasing a special breed of dog lovers

Published 7:32 pm, Thursday, June 4, 2015

Finally, the day that Jack had been dreaming about every night since his 14th birthday was approaching. He would be attending and competing for his first time in the 4-to 6-Month Beginner Puppy Competition at the Greenwich Kennel Club's 83rd All-Breed Dog Show on June 6, at Taylor Farm Park, in East Norwalk. The Greenwich Kennel Club is one of the oldest and one of the most prestigious all-breed dog clubs in the country and Jack was very excited about this opportunity.

Jack, very much like his grandfather, was absolutely passionate about dogs. Jack's grandfather had been professionally involved in training, handling, and competing over the years with many different breeds. There was one dog however, that was his personal favorite. It was a Boxer that he showed in conformation and titled several times in AKC companion and performance dog sports. Jack had heard many stories about this wondrous Boxer and he had seen photos and videos of his athletic prowess. Jack just had to have a Boxer of his own. It was by far his favorite breed. He knew how bright and trainable they could be if one could just get them to focus, and he loved their playful sense of humor.

Jack's grandfather acquired a magnificent looking flashy fawn Boxer puppy from a very good breeder for Jack's 14th birthday. Jack was mature for his age. He was a straight A student at school and an outstanding shortstop in his baseball league. When he received "Kayo," Jack pledged that he would share the puppy with his family and be responsible for Kayo's care and training. He couldn't wait to enroll with Kayo in various training and handling classes. Over several weeks of classes, Jack learned to set up Kayo's front and rear in a picturesque show pose. For 10 minutes every day, Jack practiced the various conformation show patterns, while also teaching Kayo some basic obedience. Jack learned about show etiquette, how to dress, how to groom Kayo and keep his nails trimmed, how to wear the arm band, and how to keep his puppy cool on a hot summer day. He took Kayo everywhere one could imagine so that friends, relatives, and even willing strangers in town were invited to examine the puppy in a show pose.

Jack was confident that all this preparation would make his presentation the best it could be. He knew that he and Kayo were a work in progress. After all, the Puppy Competition was designed to "introduce new exhibitors to the show world in a stress-free and relaxed environment." However, Jack had set his heart on winning Best Boxer Puppy so that he could compete in the Puppy Working Group and possibly go on to vie for Best 4- to 6-Month Beginner Puppy in Show. That was the dream that he had every night and he wanted to bring it to fruition. His grandfather confided that he was concerned about how Jack would feel if he didn't win after working so hard with Kayo. Jack reassured his grandfather that win or lose they would all have a fun day. He told his grandfather that he had studied the AKC Code of Sportsmanship and even though he would compete vigorously to win, he was also prepared to lose with grace. Jack said that he was as prepared to win or lose in dog sports as he was in baseball. He told his grandfather that Kayo would be the same puppy coming home from the show, and that he would still love Kayo whether they won or lost.

Then Jack showed his grandfather a list of all the fun things he had planned after the puppy competition. First, he would stop by the Boxer ring to see the more mature dogs competing in Conformation for championship points and Best of Breed. He would also try to see some of the other breeds that he admired competing in their rings too. Then he would study the teams competing at different levels in the Obedience and Rally Trials. Eventually, he and Kayo would be competing in the Companion Sports so Jack was also looking forward to introducing his puppy to Rookie Agility. For $5 Kayo could safely navigate an introductory agility course. If they enjoyed that, he would try the Doggie Fun Zone where for $12, Kayo would be timed chasing an elusive lure over, under, and through a scaled down obstacle course. It might also be fun to try Kayo in the Barn Hunt Fun Run for $10. After all that activity, Jack thought that it would be time to visit the "Meet the Authors" at the Club Tent where he could chat with Cindy Lipton, author of "Ruth and Leonard," and Mariah Leal, author of "The Adventures of Piper." He could pick up some books for his little brother, Myles. Then he and Kayo would visit with the Disaster And Wilderness Ground Search trainers. Jack wanted to know if Boxers could succeed as search and rescue dogs. After those visits, Jack planned to have Kayo micro-chipped and get his DNA test. Then he would visit the Miscellaneous & FSS Breeds Tent so that he could learn more about these rarer breeds that are pending AKC recognition. After all that, Jack wanted to relax with Kayo and his grandfather while they sat and watched the Group competitions and eventually pick out the Best in Show winner.

After hearing Jack's wonderful plan, his grandfather beamed with pride because he knew that Jack was already a winner even before he stepped into the ring for the first time!

While this little story is the fictitious fantasy of an overly indulgent grandfather, as the real Jack is 4, and the real Myles is 2; it is meant to be illustrative of the dreams, work, preparation, and competitive nature of all those who enjoy the fun of participating in the world of dog sports. Even the casual observer will see a little bit of Jack and Kayo in almost every exhibitor and exhibit. My very best wishes and luck to all of our exhibitors. I personally invite you to come spend the day at our Greenwich Kennel Club show on Saturday, June 6, and the Longshore-Southport dog show on Sunday, June 7. Parking, including admission, is $10.